Startled by a loud sound and “A very hard and strong bump,” the two speculate that maybe there’s a war. Sam gets on his boots but it’s turned chilly, so he returns for a jacket, advises Jacob to put on his jacket. They step outside.

Sam was right: there was a war.

In the concluding chapter the two hear the loudest sound they had heard in their lives. Gunfire! The red army was attacking the blue army.

The story ends here, and I’m grateful for this, too.

Grateful for family, friends, health. Grateful for brothers looking out for brothers. Grateful for pie and beer and the people we share them with.